Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a zero-insertion-force (hereafter ZIF) connector, and particularly to a cam mechanism for a ZIF connector which can reliably motivate the ZIF connector between open and closed positions.
As the functions of a CPU increases, pins thereof increase accordingly. To mount the CPU with so many pins to a connector needs a very large insertion force. Such a large insertion force will cause a difficulty for mount/dismount the CPU to/from the connector, and more seriously, a damage of the pins of the CPU or contacts of the connector if there is a deviation of positional precision of the pins or the contacts. Thus, a ZIF connector is developed which when at an open position the pins can be freely inserted into the connector without engagement with the contacts. Then, a cover of the ZIF connector is motivated by driving a cam mechanism thereof to a closed position thereby moving the pins to engage with the contacts.
The conventional cam mechanism for motivating the ZIF connector has a complicated structure which causes it to have a high cost. Furthermore, there is no locating device in the conventional cam mechanism to make sure that the ZIF connector is motivated to the open or closed position. Finally, the conventional mechanism has a lever moving in a direction perpendicularly to the plane on which the connector extends for driving the cam mechanism. Such a perpendicular movement of the lever is not convenient to manipulate.
Hence, an improved cam mechanism for a ZIF connector is needed to eliminate the above mentioned defects of current art.